Cookware Criteria

Our Standards explain how we evaluate products in general. This page applies them to cookware.

When we look at a pan, we want to know what it's made of, what the brand claims about it, and how well those claims are supported.

These criteria are version 0.1. We'll refine them as our research grows.

The areas we review for every pan.

What We Check

Materials

What the pan is made of, including the body, the cooking surface, and any coating.

Nonstick Coating

Whether the cooking surface is bare metal, seasoned, enameled, ceramic-coated, or coated with PTFE (the material used in Teflon).

PFAS Claims

What the brand says about PFAS, PFOA, and PTFE. These terms are not interchangeable, so we record the exact wording. Learn what each term means.

Testing

Whether the brand publishes results from an independent lab, and what those tests looked for.

Certifications

Whether a certification applies to cookware and actually covers PFAS. Many certifications cover other products entirely. Read our guide to certifications.

Performance & Care

How the pan cooks, how long the surface lasts, and what it takes to care for it.

Evidence Levels

  • 1. Brand Claim

    The brand makes a statement, but nothing is published to support it.

  • 2. Documentation

    The brand publishes formal documents, such as a chemical disclosure or material specification.

  • 3. Lab Testing

    The brand publishes results from an independent lab, including what was tested.

  • 4. Certification

    An independent certifier lists the product under a standard that covers PFAS.
See how we Compare

Evidence levels describe the evidence, not the product.
A higher level means a brand's claims are better supported. It does not mean a product is risk-free.

Our StandardsEditorial Policy